248. Editorial Note
Under a December 27, 1955, covering memorandum to the National Security Council, Executive Secretary Lay transmitted an undated report prepared by Nelson Rockefeller, “Coordination of Foreign Political, Military, Economic, Informational, and Cover Operations,” which recommended farreaching changes in military theater and command organization and in the Operations Coordinating Board. (Eisenhower Library, Special Assistant for National Security Affairs, William H. Jackson, Records, President’s Papers) Rockefeller was scheduled to defend his views before the NSC Planning Board on February 20, 1956. Documentation on the Department of State’s opposition to Rockefeller’s recommendations is in National Archives, RG 59, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 430.
Subsequently, Eisenhower’s Assistant, Sherman Adams, asked the Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, William H. Jackson, to examine Rockefeller’s proposal. Jackson prepared a critical memorandum on April 2, 1956. (Eisenhower Library, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Records, OCB Organization) Finally, on March 26, 1957, following the issuance of Executive Order 10700 of February 25, 1957 (22 Federal Register 1111), which amended E.O. 10483 of September 2, 1953, by placing the Operations Coordinating Board within the National Security Council structure, Eisenhower agreed that Rockefeller’s report could be removed from the NSC’s agenda. At the same time, however, he referred the relevant recommendations for wartime responsibility for foreign information and psychological operations to the Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization to prepare plans. (National Archives, RG 59, S/P–NSC Files: Lot 62 D 1, 1935–62, Box 115)